Humans in the Biosphere Chapter 6. A Changing Landscape Human activities –Among human activities that affect the biosphere are hunting and gathering,

Humans in the Biosphere

Humans in the Biosphere

Chapter 6Chapter 6

A Changing LandscapeA Changing Landscape

• Human activities– Among human activities that affect

the biosphere are hunting and gathering, agriculture, industry, and urban development

– Human participate in food web and chemical cycles

– Human change the local and global environments

• Human activities– Among human activities that affect

the biosphere are hunting and gathering, agriculture, industry, and urban development

– Human participate in food web and chemical cycles

– Human change the local and global environments


• Hunting and gathering– people who obtain food by collecting

and hunting wild animals.– Some scientist hypothesize that

12,000 years ago caused major extinction.• Example – woolly mammoths, saber-tooth

cats

• Hunting and gathering– people who obtain food by collecting

and hunting wild animals.– Some scientist hypothesize that

12,000 years ago caused major extinction.• Example – woolly mammoths, saber-tooth

cats


• Agricultural Revolution – When hunters and gathers started collecting seeds to plant and domesticating animals.

agriculture provides human society with fundamental needs

dependable food supplylarge quantity of foodStorage for excess food

• Agricultural Revolution – When hunters and gathers started collecting seeds to plant and domesticating animals.

agriculture provides human society with fundamental needs

dependable food supplylarge quantity of foodStorage for excess food


• Monoculture – large fields planted with one type of crop

• Fertilizer – chemical or natural boost for plant growth

• Pesticide – chemical or natural controls for pest or insects

• Green revolution – the use of genetic hybrids, monoculture and chemical fertilizers the increased world food supply

• Challenges for the future– More insects– More pesticides – kill good insects, produce

runoff, contaminate water supply– Irrigation

• Monoculture – large fields planted with one type of crop

• Fertilizer – chemical or natural boost for plant growth

• Pesticide – chemical or natural controls for pest or insects

• Green revolution – the use of genetic hybrids, monoculture and chemical fertilizers the increased world food supply

• Challenges for the future– More insects– More pesticides – kill good insects, produce

runoff, contaminate water supply– Irrigation


• Industrial revolution – the shift from animal muscle to energy provided by water and fossil fuels which brought about sophisticated machines.– Pros – mass production of materials, more

advanced machines, more mobility, advance medicine

– Cons – air pollution, soil pollution, water pollution, waste disposal.

– Pollution – An undesired change in air, water or soil that adversely affects the health, survival, or activities of humans

• Industrial revolution – the shift from animal muscle to energy provided by water and fossil fuels which brought about sophisticated machines.– Pros – mass production of materials, more

advanced machines, more mobility, advance medicine

– Cons – air pollution, soil pollution, water pollution, waste disposal.

– Pollution – An undesired change in air, water or soil that adversely affects the health, survival, or activities of humans

Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources


• Natural resources – any natural material used by humans

– Renewable resource – sources that can be replaced. Give some examples!

– Nonrenewable resourced – a resource that is consumed at a faster rate than replenished.

• Natural resources – any natural material used by humans

– Renewable resource – sources that can be replaced. Give some examples!

– Nonrenewable resourced – a resource that is consumed at a faster rate than replenished.



• Sustainable development – a way of using natural resources without depleting and providing for human needs without causing long term environmental harm

• Humans affect quality and supply of all resources

• Sustainable development – a way of using natural resources without depleting and providing for human needs without causing long term environmental harm

• Humans affect quality and supply of all resources



• Land resources – provide space for human communities and raw material humans need– Food grow best in fertile soil made up of a mixture of

sand, clay, rock particles and humus– Plowing of soil remove roots that hold soil together– Soil erosion – wearing away of soil by wind or water– Desertification – the process where over farming and

dry conditions turn a once productive area into a desert

• Ways to keep it from happening – Leave stems and roots from previous crop on

farmland– Sowing a fast growing cover - rye

• Land resources – provide space for human communities and raw material humans need– Food grow best in fertile soil made up of a mixture of

sand, clay, rock particles and humus– Plowing of soil remove roots that hold soil together– Soil erosion – wearing away of soil by wind or water– Desertification – the process where over farming and

dry conditions turn a once productive area into a desert

• Ways to keep it from happening – Leave stems and roots from previous crop on

farmland– Sowing a fast growing cover - rye



• Forest resources – important resource for products they provide and the ecological functions they perform

• Wood is used for fuel and building material• Forest can

– provide nutrients– Provide habitat– Limit soil erosion– Moderate climate– Protect fresh water supply

– Deforestation – loss of forest• Species can be lost• Severe erosion• Change soil and microclimates

• Forest resources – important resource for products they provide and the ecological functions they perform

• Wood is used for fuel and building material• Forest can

– provide nutrients– Provide habitat– Limit soil erosion– Moderate climate– Protect fresh water supply

– Deforestation – loss of forest• Species can be lost• Severe erosion• Change soil and microclimates



• Fishery Resources– Fishes and other animals that live in water are valuable

source of food– Over fishing – harvesting fish faster than they can

reproduce• Declining of fish is an example of the tragedy of commons

– Over use of and area– Fisheries help replenish this resource

– Sustainable Development – regulations that help the fish pollution to recover.

• Guidelines can specify how many fish and what size of fish can be caught in a given area

– Aquaculture – the raising of aquatic organisms for human consumption

• Helps sustain populations

• Fishery Resources– Fishes and other animals that live in water are valuable

source of food– Over fishing – harvesting fish faster than they can

reproduce• Declining of fish is an example of the tragedy of commons

– Over use of and area– Fisheries help replenish this resource

– Sustainable Development – regulations that help the fish pollution to recover.

• Guidelines can specify how many fish and what size of fish can be caught in a given area

– Aquaculture – the raising of aquatic organisms for human consumption

• Helps sustain populations



• Air Resources – resources the air provides organisms

• Oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen

– Condition of air affects people– Smog – mixture of smoke and fog usually

found in highly populated regions– Pollutant – harmful material that can enter

the biosphere through the land, air or water– Acid rain – rain with high acidity. Caused by

burning of fossil fuels that release sulfuric and nitric acid into the air.

• Air Resources – resources the air provides organisms

• Oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen

– Condition of air affects people– Smog – mixture of smoke and fog usually

found in highly populated regions– Pollutant – harmful material that can enter

the biosphere through the land, air or water– Acid rain – rain with high acidity. Caused by

burning of fossil fuels that release sulfuric and nitric acid into the air.



• Freshwater Resources– Water is a renewable resource but

freshwater is limited– Major priority must be given to

protect freshwater from pollution.• Protecting wetlands• Protect forest \protect swamps• Prevent soil pollution

• Freshwater Resources– Water is a renewable resource but

freshwater is limited– Major priority must be given to

protect freshwater from pollution.• Protecting wetlands• Protect forest \protect swamps• Prevent soil pollution

BiodiversityBiodiversity

• Biodiversity – the sum total of the genetically based variety of all organisms in the biosphere

• Ecosystem diversity – the variety of habitats, communities, and ecological processes in the living world

• Genetic diversity – the total sum of all the genetic information carried by all the organisms on earth

• Biodiversity is one of the earth’s greatest resources.

• Species of many kinds have provided us with food, industrial products, and medicine.

• Biodiversity – the sum total of the genetically based variety of all organisms in the biosphere

• Ecosystem diversity – the variety of habitats, communities, and ecological processes in the living world

• Genetic diversity – the total sum of all the genetic information carried by all the organisms on earth

• Biodiversity is one of the earth’s greatest resources.

• Species of many kinds have provided us with food, industrial products, and medicine.


• Threats to biodiversity– Hunting species to extinction– Introducing toxins– Introducing foreign species to new areas– Altering habitats

– Extinction – when a species disappears from all or part of it’s range

– Endangered species – species population size declines to almost extinction

– Habitat fragmentation – splitting of ecosystems into pieces

• Development of farms or communities

• Threats to biodiversity– Hunting species to extinction– Introducing toxins– Introducing foreign species to new areas– Altering habitats

– Extinction – when a species disappears from all or part of it’s range

– Endangered species – species population size declines to almost extinction

– Habitat fragmentation – splitting of ecosystems into pieces

• Development of farms or communities


• Pollution• Pollution

Documents

Humans in the Biosphere Chapter 6. A Changing Landscape Human activities –Among human activities that affect the biosphere are hunting and gathering,